How do you test the operation of a vital storm surge barrier without risk or delay? By cloning it! Rijkswaterstaat has implemented a new digital testing environment for the Ramspol Barrier that digitally mimics the control system.
‘With this digital twin, we can now first test software updates and adjustments digitally,’ says Maike Eissfeller, senior application manager at Rijkswaterstaat. ‘This saves time, reduces risks, and gives us more control over the systems operation.’
The digital twin simplifies testing the control system and helps better understand and resolve malfunctions. Additionally, it is a great tool for training and educating barrier staff; they can first move virtually through the barrier and practice situations.
Testing Without Risk: How the Digital Twin Works
The Ramspol Barrier is the only inflatable storm surge barrier in the Netherlands. It plays a crucial role in protecting the area around Zwolle. Rijkswaterstaat inflates the barrier once a year to test its functionality. With the new digital testing environment, we have a digital version of the Ramspol Barrier available; a virtual representation of, among other things, the pump pit and control rooms. This Digital Twin can be controlled as if it were the real installation.
Technicians can practice in a 3D environment on situations that rarely occur in practice but can have a significant impact. Think of pump failures or error messages in the control system.
A Digital Foundation for Multiple Barriers
What makes this new testing environment particularly powerful is its construction with generic components. These are also used for other storm surge barriers such as the Maeslant Barrier and Hartelkering. This creates a shared technical foundation, facilitating collaboration and simplifying management. ‘We record the behavior of the testing environment and keep track of the software versions used,’ says Eissfeller. ‘This makes it easier to expand or adjust systems.’
Collaboration with market parties also plays an important role in this. ‘We work agile, changes happen quickly, and that makes the testing environment better and better. We have short lines of communication and can switch quickly when necessary,’ says functional administrator Justin Kleine (Rijkswaterstaat) with satisfaction. Fred van der Worp (QPIT BV, the supplier of the Digital Twin) agrees: ‘The clear vision and open communication with Rijkswaterstaat help us to optimally deploy our expertise in this project.’
Ready for the Next Step
The testing environment is not only intended to test (new) functionalities but also to practice dealing with malfunctions.
Patrick van der Wal, product owner at the Reliable Industrial Automation program for (storm surge) Barriers (BIK) at Rijkswaterstaat: ‘We ensure that we incorporate the wishes of the users into the execution, so that the testing environment optimally contributes to the safe and efficient operation of the storm surge barrier.’